Sundays had become Josh's second favorite day of the week following Saturday. His evening with Ann was perfect. They enjoyed each other's company as they feasted on chicken vindaloo and naan. He loved when she relaxed with her hair down in comfortable clothes. The woman, who was driven to succeed, disappeared.

She teased him about being a cowboy when he dressed in his faded jeans. As she hugged him, she put her hands in his back pockets.

He kissed behind her ear. "One text and we can get naked again."

She tilted her head back and laughed. "You can go have fun with your horse, and I'll tick off my to-do list."

"I have an invitation and I really want you to join me."

She tilted her head. "What's it for?"

"Equine therapy nonprofit."

"Seriously?"

"Kenneth Sumner will attend."

"Anyone else impressive?"

"In the book business? I don't know. Jimmy Sinclair. You can drool over him. It would mean a lot to me."

"When is it?"

"Saturday night. In two weeks. It's not black tie."

"Okay. It's our date night."

"Great!" He brushed her lips, lingering long enough to realize she wouldn't part her lips.

She looked at his boots and raised an eyebrow, but she didn't question his small duffle, so he didn't explain. The minute he dropped her at home, his focus switched to looking forward to his ride. He felt like he led a double life.

He couldn't contain his smile when he saw the little girl on the horse. He felt confident when saddling and proud when Shaun complimented him, but his bubble burst when she mentioned leaving.

"When are you going?"

She shrugged. "Not sure. After my mother's party."

She forced a smile, so he let it go. In a few weeks, he found himself attached to his visits. They rode side by side, and Shaun sped up like she had demons to outrun. Seeing her smiling on horseback, he had a few of his own. He reminded himself he had an amazing night with Ann. He had been willing to cancel his ride an hour and a half before. Truthfully, he was glad he hadn't. It felt freeing to ride like the wind.

After they cooled down the horses and returned all three to their stalls, they entered the house together. He carried his duffle, and Stella pointed to it.

"That girl is jumping around because you're going in the pool with her."

Shaun nodded with a smile which lit up her face. So often her smiles were fake or impeded by her problems.

"She'll show off what she learns in her lessons. I'll show you a room so you can change. I'll be here when you're ready."

He furrowed his brow. "Just me? I thought you would swim too."

She looked down at her body. She might be a bit thin, but he didn't think she had anything to hide. Tansy came running in a cute little bikini. She posed with her back curved so her belly and bottom both stuck out. He wanted to squeeze her, but froze, wondering where that surge of emotion came from. It was stronger than what he felt for Daphne.

"Dex. Come on."

She pulled at her hand. "I was trying to convince your mom to swim."

"Mommy. Dex came to swim with me."

Shaun laughed. "See. Go change."

Maybe it was just as well if she didn't want to swim. He didn't want to give her the wrong idea. It took him no time to change. He left his shirt on, having been raised not to walk around shirtless. He stepped out of the guestroom and Tansy pulled his hand again.

She led him through the atrium into a small hall which led to an indoor pool. It was rectangular, about the size of a standard in-ground pool. It reminded Josh of a hotel pool.

"Peanut, you are one lucky kid!"

In some ways, his words were true. She was loved and had the pool and horses, but that was the surface view. He bet if Sarah wasn't paralyzed, they wouldn't have an indoor pool. If her grandfather hadn't died, she would be in Seattle. If her father wasn't a jerk, she... she wouldn't have met Josh.

Adults had a huge impact on children. How had his parents influenced him? He learned a bunch of don'ts, but also to work on relationships and not to quit.

The pool had a ramp on which Tansy walked down. He stuck his foot in. The temperature was perfect. Before he changed his mind, he jumped in and swam to her.

"I can hum." She put her face in the water and lifted it out. "You hum."

He copied her and realized the humming kept the water out of his nose. He lifted his head.

"It worked!"

"Mommy. I hummed!"

Josh turned to see Shaun had changed, but not into a bikini. Thank God. She wore shorts which showed off lots of legs and a tee shirt, but he couldn't read the logo.

Her genuine smile caused him to return it. "I'm the lifeguard."

After his basic lesson from Tansy, including how to kick, he swam around the pool with the little girl clung to his neck. The feeling of another person depending on him lodged itself into his chest. The seesaw had tilted the opposite way. Before Daphne, his weight was on the no kids side. It had been wobbling back and forth until Tansy. She tipped the scale. Swimming with her, he knew he wanted what his best friend had. It was too cold at Oliver's birthday weekend, but he could visualize Daphne in Oliver's arms in their pool.

Shaun's voice startled him. "You okay?"

"Uh huh."

"You looked serious."

"I was keeping her safe in the deep end." He learned how to make a mother smile. He sat on the ramp watching Tansy bob up and down.

When the door opened, Jimmy Sinclair strolled in, full of confidence. "Is this where the party is?"

He leaned over and kissed Shaun's cheek while whispering something that made her laugh.

"Jimmy! Watch me!" She bobbed more.

"Looking good, kid." Josh waved and Jimmy nodded. "Hey."

When Jimmy sat down next to Shaun and asked what was new, Josh lingered on the ramp. He may be nosey, but he cared.

"Nothing. Josh and I rode, and Tansy thinks he's her new best friend."

Josh pouted. "I'm not?"

Jimmy smirked. "You're a good sport to swim."

Tansy swam up the ramp. She could doggie paddle. "Jimmy, I can hum."

As Shaun explained, humming helped her put her face in the water. Tansy stood and leaned against Josh's back. She put his arms around his neck.

"Swim, Dexy."

Jimmy laughed as Josh set out with the little body on his back. When he returned, Shaun stood with a towel.

"Okay my little fish, time to get out of the pool." She didn't complain as she stepped into the towel. "There's a towel for you, Dex."

He felt conspicuous stepping out of the pool. Jimmy Sinclair looked like he had his own private trainer. Other than his runs and occasional golf or tennis, he didn't work out. His chest was defined because he didn't have any layers of fat. His flat gut and lack of man boob were far from six-pack abs. One of JJ's gang was a husky kid with man boobs. He and Oliver teased the kid. He grew up to be a rich entitled pervert, still with man boobs.

He was thankful Tansy had Jimmy's attention, but Shan watched him exit the pool. He took the soft towel from her and wrapped it around his shoulders. Ann had no complaints. He just wished he could read minds as Shaun's eyes lingered on his naked torso.

Turning his back, he wiped off the excess water. "I'll go change."

As he left the pool area, Jimmy whispered something. Why did he feel like a kid surrounded by cool kids? One problem was Shaun was never popular either.

He changed quickly and found Jimmy talking with Sarah as he stood by a drink cart.

"What's your poison?"

Josh looked at the well stocked cart. He rarely drank on Sunday.

"I'm driving."

Jimmy smiled. "Dinner's not for an hour."

Josh nodded. "Scotch, if you have it. On the rocks."

"Good man. Aunt Sarah was telling me how you helped Shaun pass bio." He shook his head. "She's smart but..."

Josh chuckled. "Science isn't her thing."

"You said it nicer than I was thinking."

"Jimmy spent so much time here as a boy he and Shaun act like siblings." Sarah looked adoring at her nephew.

"I feel like that with my best friend." The one Josh was suddenly jealous of for having a family.

Jimmy handed him a tumbler. "Cheers. So publishing? Roche-Sumner is a respected company, as well as the families."

Josh felt awkward. Jimmy seemed sincere. "We do our part. You're different from your reputation."

"Which one? Womanizer? Wealthy playboy? Tyrant in the boardroom? All the above?"

Josh laughed. "I doubt you have to try to get women."

Jimmy laughed. "You'd be surprised not all of them like me."

A sweet voice made them turn their heads. "He ran away from one the last time we were out."

Jimmy smirked. "That was business, strictly business."

He poured Shaun a glass of wine. "Where's mine?"

"One Tansy special coming up."

He mixed ginger ale with grenadine and added a maraschino cherry.

Smiling, Josh said, "I used to drink those."

Tansy stood by him and took a sip every time he did. Shaun stood next to her daughter and her eyes sparkled as she mimicked Josh.

When Stella called them to the dining room, Shaun put her hand on his arm to hold him back.

She looked at him with her midnight blue eyes. "Thanks for being so nice to her."

He responded without tripping up his words, but her hand felt good in a way it shouldn't. "She's so sweet. It's easy."

Her smile dazzled. "Thank you. She loves you."

Josh felt full in his heart. He loved the peanut and her mother was special, too.

Dinner wasn't a long, drawn-out affair. Sarah effortlessly kept the conversation going by, including everyone. Tansy quickly became restless and was excused.

Jimmy watched her go. "I wasn't allowed in the dining room until I was twelve or thirteen."

"Nor was I. We raised Shaun differently. Joshua, what about you?"

Josh laughed. "The dining room is rarely used. Growing up, we were more likely to eat take out at the counter in the kitchen."

Sarah said, "Your mother alway worked."

He nodded. "I had a nanny, but never a cook."

Shaun looked at her cousin. "Jealous?"

"Yes, my house is crawling with staff."

"Man, you're out of my league." Josh shook his head.

Jimmy shrugged. "I like you anyway. Would you be willing to give me a ride? I don't have a chauffeur and I could call the car service, but..."

"No problem."

In the end, Josh was glad. On the drive, Jimmy shared his concerns about the soon-to-be ex-husband. Josh listened quietly, but Jimmy's last remark stayed with him.

"I'm willing to do what's necessary to make him go away. I want my cousin and her daughter back with her family for good."

"She said she's going back to Seattle."

"We'll see. It's here on the right. Thanks for the ride."

Josh looked up at the pale brick home. Two white pillars stood on either side of a black door. Emma would know the style, but regardless, it was old, much older than his house. The door opened for Jimmy and he disappeared inside.

"And that's how the upper crust lives."

Josh liked the thought of Shaun staying close by. He'd miss Tansy if she moved back. Not just Tansy.